Strawberry Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

This year it's our first time at Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee, and we enjoyed the Strawberry Cheesecake.

Strawberry Cheesecake perfect for Valentine's Day

Below is a list of flavours we tried last year.

• Matcha Cheesecake last June 6
• Taro Cheesecake last June 26
• Mango Cheesecake last July 18
• Peanut Butter Cheesecake last September 11
• Pumpkin Cheesecake last October 10
• Banoffee Cheesecake last November 28 (no blog post)
• Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake last December 26

Lunch at Suika

It's not my birthday, yet hubby made me so happy during his special day. After visiting the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, we grabbed lunch at Suika. It's our first time visiting the restaurant on a weekday, and it's an absolute thrill to find it nearly empty after the lunch rush. It's also our first time back here this 2022.

We both ordered our usual. I had my favourite Signature Beef Curry topped with Tonkatsu (Pork Loin Cutlet) while my hubby ordered a Double Tonkatsu (Pork Loin Cutlet) Set. For sharing, we had a Chicken Dashi Karaage, which was juicier than I expected. Hubby thought it was too oily, but I think it's perfect.

Signature Beef Curry
Suika original stewed beef tendon curry topped with tonkatsu (pork loin cutlet)

Double Tonkatsu (Pork Loin Cutlet) Set
2 pieces of  fried pork loin cutlet using special fresh panko served with ground sesame and tonkatsu sauce

Chicken Dashi Karaage
Juicy deep-fried chicken thig, crispy on the outside and filled with rich dash shoyu flavour.

I absolutely love Suika and highly recommend trying them if you haven't already.

Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar, & Egg Sandwich from Starbucks

Yay for birthdays. We are starting today with a free breakfast from Starbucks. We ordered a Venti Caffè Mocha and two Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich.

Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich

We get free Starbucks gift cards every now and then and absolutely enjoy the free drinks and sandwiches. I am too frugal to spend our own hard-earned money on something as expensive as Starbucks, so it's always a happy occasion when we receive free gift cards.

Superbowl Viewing Dinner at Bar One

Happy Sunday! It's one of the most anticipated events in sports every year: The Superbowl. This year we decided to visit Bar One and watch the game there. Unfortunately, only 8 tables were occupied most of the game, and one table left early before the game ended.

Best Seat at Bar One

We arrived shortly after 3:00 PM and left after 7:00 PM,  We sat at the most comfortable and best view in the whole bar, and during the entire game, we ordered appetizers and because hubby loves the dessert we ended with that. I haven't been in this food coma in a long time.

Loaded Nachos
Crunchy corn tortilla chips loaded with cheddar and Mozzarella cheeses, zesty cheese sauce, pico de Gallo, green onions, and jalapeños. Served with sour cream and salsa.

We devoured their Loaded Nachos and Cheesy Tot Tower during the first quarter.

Cheesy Tot Tower
Crisp potato puffs, topped with cheddar cheese, and queso cheese sauce, garnished with green onions.

We enjoyed the Loaded BBQ Chicken Tots and Thai Chili Chicken Bites when the second quarter started. I highly recommend the Thai Chili Chicken Bites, but the Filipino in me wants to eat it with rice.

Loaded BBQ Chicken Tots
Crispy potato puffs, topped with cheddar cheese, roasted chicken, diced red onion, pickled jalapeños, and spicy southern BBQ sauce.

Thai Chili Chicken Bites
Crispy breaded chicken bites tossed in chilli-ginger sauce and garnished with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.

By the third quarter, we decided to open the menu from Denny's. Yes, the Bar One location along West Broadway shares space with a Denny's. We decided to order Mozzarella Cheese Sticks. 

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Golden-fried with a side of tomato sauce

I wanted some pancakes to end the game and our meals while hubby decided on the cake.

Salted Caramel & Banana Cream Pancake
Two buttermilk pancakes with shortbread pieces and topped with vanilla cream, bananas, and salted caramel

Cookies and Cream Cake
Chewy chocolate brownie with cream cheese and chocolate cookie filling, layered with chocolate ganache and cookie mousse.

The Los Angeles Rams won the Superbowl, and it was a good game.

Lunch at Kinton Ramen in UBC

It's the fifth ramen shop we have gone to in the last four weeks as we continue going through the list of the Best Ramen restaurants in Vancouver.

1. January 22 - Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba
2. January 23 - Jinya Ramen Bar
3. January 29 - Kintaro Ramen
4. February 5 - Menya Raizo
5. February 12 (today) - Kinton Ramen

To start our Saturday, we had brunch at Starbucks (yay for free breakfast sandwiches and drinks), then we ran errands. Hubby had a haircut while I grabbed my Lego from the FedEx inside Staples, and I ended up buying 15 adorable Washi Tapes. 

Thirty minutes later, hubby and I went on a random Saturday date to the University of British Columbia (UBC) and visited the Beaty Biodiversity Museum. After three hours of learning and admiring the different specimens in the museum, we had a late lunch at Kinton Ramen.

I ordered my usual Pork Miso Ramen while hubby had Pork Shoyu Ramen. For sides, we ordered our standard sides as well - Age Gyoza, Takoyaki, and Original Karaage.

Pork Miso Ramen (thick noodles)
Soybean paste, pork, corn, garlic oil, and scallions (extra seasoned egg)

The Pork Miso Ramen was good but not as delicious as Kintaro Ramen. It's a close second, though. I made the right decision of adding a seasoned egg to my ramen. It was delicious.

Pork Shoyu Ramen (with thick noodles)
Soy sauce, pork, garlic oil, nori, and scallions

Our favourite Japanese sides

Takoyaki
Deep-fried octopus balls, tonkatsu sauce, mayo, bonito flakes, and aonori

We order takoyaki whenever it is available, and this is one of the best takoyaki I had in Vancouver that I can remember.

Pork Age Gyoza
Deep-fried dumpling and original sweet chilli sauce

Original Karaage
Fried chicken, garlic mayo, and lemon

My favourite chicken karaage is from Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba. This one is a bit dry, but it's absolutely perfect soaked in the ramen broth. I saved one fried chicken and placed it in my ramen bowl, and it was better.

Kurogoma Cheesecake
Baked black sesame cheesecake

The black sesame flavour is so strong I wish there was ice cream and mochi, or maybe I am just dreaming of the parfait we had last week.

I wonder how long we can continue our ramen streak, but I am all for it. Do you have a favourite ramen shop? Comment below!

Why is Jollibee so popular?

Jollibee is almost here in Vancouver. The latest gossip I heard from the Facebook Filipino group in British Columbia is its opening this February 25, 2022. This is unverified, so please keep your expectations in check. We have been waiting for this opening for more than two years now. My sister's boyfriend is so upset that it hasn't opened yet, and he couldn't eat Peach Mango Pie without driving to Seattle or Calgary.

Why is Jollibee popular?

I am sure people who are not familiar with Jollibee will wonder why the long line when it opens. They might try it and think the food is the same, maybe slightly better than McDonald's, but not think about it again. People will think, why is this jolly bee so popular that Filipinos and fans of the brand alike will endure lining up in the rain (or snow). Here is my attempt to answer those questions.

Answer: Nostalgia and a reminder of home

For Filipinos living abroad, Jollibee is a reminder of the Philippines.

Imagine a parent who had to leave their children and family behind to earn more money abroad, one of their precious memory with their kids was enjoying a meal at Jollibee. Seeing that bee in Vancouver (or anywhere else in the world) will bring back all those memories as they relish a Chicken Joy or Jolly Spaghetti.

For my siblings and me, it's nostalgia. I remember growing up and when it's my dad's payday. My mom would bring us to Bayan (town center) to grab groceries and eat at a Jollibee. Our only brother celebrated his 7th birthday in Jollibee, and our youngest sister celebrated her 2nd birthday in Jollibee, too (she cried and was scared of the mascot). So we had positive childhood memories with Jollibee, and seeing it so close to our new home is something to be happy and grateful for.

Answer: Good food

If it's your first time trying Jollibee and not familiar with any of the dishes, you will not go wrong with Chicken Joy (fried chicken) and be sure to try the Peach Mango Pie. It's a way better version of the pie thing they have at McDonald's.